The gesture Bandhan

This is the story based on the real incidents that were experienced by my long time neighbour. The nice part of these incidents are that they are so touchy and makes one emotional. Above all it is related to the festival of Raksha Bandhan. The story reiterates that Raksha Bandhan is not only a festival that is celebrated year after year. The sacred thread that is tied by a sister on her brother's wrist speaks about the bonding they share and by the way they need not necessarily be siblings . This is what this story speaks about.            .              

 Suraj was so happy that his neighbour Pawan was getting married. Suraj was a young man just out of his teens. He was the only son to his parents. He maintained cordial relations with his neighbours since all of them were known to each other for a long time. They all have been living in the locality for many many years. Pawan got married on the prescribed date and after all the events related to the auspicious occasion got completed at his home town came back to the place where he had his job ,( Baroda). He was welcomed with a lot of warmth and pomp by his immediate family as well as the extended family members, the only addition being the loving ,long time neighbours that included our dearest Suraj. Parul, Pawan's new bride was a very bubbly and charming young lady. She got so friendly with all the newbies without any hesitation. Suraj who himself was bubbly and active got comfortable with Parul whom he addressed as Bhabi which is a word of respect and relationship with a lady who is one's brother's wife mostly elder. Parul who had a younger brother almost the age of Suraj was obviously happy to have a brother in this new place. They both used to spend a lot of time together playing pranks on each other and teasing one another too. Pawan was okay with all this.    

 Time flew with fun and happy moments. Suraj's mother too liked parul who became so close to her within no time. Since she did not have a daughter she felt Parul was filling that space. She used to bring small gifts to her whenever possible. She even used to lend her small amounts of money which Parul used to return back quickly.    

  And then came the festival season also referred to as the month of Sawan that is to be precise August where we have many festivals lined up signifying the time when after rainfall new crops and flowers bloom. It is the time when Lord Shiva is worshipped on Monday's, ofcourse it is done normally but in August it is special. We have the festival of Holi, Teej, Janmashtami and the much awaited Raksha Bandhan. This is the festival for which every brother and sister wait for so that they can share their happiness together. The sister ties the Rakhi and the brother or brothers shower them with gifts depending upon their capacity. The main sentiment here is how a brother needs to protect his sister or sisters in any time. This thread is a reminder of the same. Isn't it so pious and sacred. . .                

   On the day of Raksha Bandhan Suraj's mother sent him to Parul's home telling him to get the money she had lent to Parul a fortnight ago. She had to go to her brother's house to celebrate Raksha Bandhan obviously. Suraj was feeling odd to do so but,his mother's order was an order. He very reluctantly approached Pawan's house. The door was kept ajar and there he saw Pawan consoling Parul as she was weeping. Finding Suraj there Pawan called him inside and narrated the matter. The reason was that Parul wanted to go her brother's house Within the same city and celebrate the festival with all pomp. and glory. She needed some money urgently for that. Pawan being a contract worker with a Firm was hopeful he would get the money in advance from his salary. But ,in the last minute his in+charge backed out saying he could arrange the advance because many of them had made the same demand. Since he could not meet the demand he cancelled the idea of giving pay in advance. So,the problem of finance was here Parul was weeping un consolbly.

Now Suraj was in a fix how could he ask the money his mother had asked to get from parul. He even wanted to do something that would make her happy. As a brother that is what was their relationship now his gift to her on Raksha Bandhan had to be special. He excused himself for sometime and contacted his friends who could lend him some money without any hesitation and put the amount in a beautiful cover and went hurriedly to Pawan's house. He got the Rakhi tied by Parul and handed over the gift cover to the beaming Parul. He made her day very special and memorable. Even though he was not her sibling he kept the sanctity of Raksha Bandhan by making parul happy on the day. She could celebrate the festival with her sibling with the amount Suraj have her as a gift.        Back home when his mother asked about the money that he had get from Parul, he lied to her that he had spent it all with his friends. His mother was very angry but got pacified when Suraj pampered her with apologies and sentiments. Mother being a mother forgave him and she forgot the matter also.        

 After a month or so Parul narrated the whole matter and she even gave back the money she had borrowed from Suraj's mother. . Suraj's mother appreciated him for his meaningful gesture. He had done justice to the whole idea of celebrating this beautiful festival.